Users commonly use computing devices to fill out electronic forms. Electronic forms are of different types, are available from different sources, and are used in different ways. In one example, a user receives an email including a link to an electronic form. By clicking on the link, the electronic form is downloaded from a web site to the user's computing device. Thereafter, the user uses an application on the computing device to fill out the electronic form. The user then also uses the same or a different application to email the electronic form to a recipient. In another example, the user downloads a form from a webpage, completes the form using a local application, and uploads the completed form to the webpage.
Generally, an interaction with an electronic form (e.g., download, fill out, email, etc.) involves operating an application hosted on a computing device of a user. Different types of interactions can involve different applications. For example, the download application can be different from the fill out application. Although some applications allow multiple types of interactions, each of such applications necessitates a configuration of the electronic form specific to the application. Thus, even when supporting multiple interactions, the application is often limited to a particular type of form and source of electronic forms.
In addition, an application for interacting with an electronic form is typically a passive application in the sense that an active request of the user for the electronic form is needed prior to any interaction. For example, a personal assistant application running on a smartphone requires the user to identify the electronic form and request the download. Other applications have relatively complex dashboards that let the user passively analyze what work should be done next. Thus, the user has to actively manage what electronic forms and types of interactions are needed.
Accessing an electronic form is also challenging in certain situations. Generally, an application provides a graphical user interface to display the electronic form and support an interaction therewith. Various factors can limit how user-friendly this access is. For example, the smaller the size of the graphical user interface, the less user-friendly the access becomes. In another example, if a user has a physical impairment (e.g., visual) or a manual impairment (e.g., the user driving and unable to type on a smartphone), using the application to interact with the form via the graphical user interface can be difficult or even impossible.